Closer then near
by Silent ghost of love
Summary: This is sequel to "Love has its own rules." Jenny and Gibbs found each other, but can they save their connection? And what will happen to Tony and Ziva?


**_AN. This is sequel to "Love has its own rules." Another story written long ago, but published now. Total AU. My version of S10 afterfinal. Jibbs and Tiva" . Hope, you'll like it._**

 ** _Still dont own NCIS, unfortunatly._**

 ** _Closer then near_**

 ** _Chapter 1. Before._**

Standing on the balcony of her cozy apartment on the coast of Positano and worming hands with the cup hot strong "marine's coffee", Valery Djanetti, who was once the former Jenny Shepard, was looking at a new day brightening in the sky. Easy smile lit up her face at the thought that one only person still called her Jen. Jethro obstinately refused to call her new name since time, when she did a great stupidity and flew to Washington. But Jenny will never be really sorry about this act. Because, ultimately, it brought her seemed to be already impossible happiness. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was back in her life.

Of course, given the fact of her "death", they could not be together openly, so there was no way back to USA. But they have Positano and the whole Europe. Woman smiled again, remembering the weekend they spent in different parts of the world. Paris, Serbian village. Now the memories of these places they will have twice as much. Naturally, Gibbs couldn't get to her every weekend, but then they had long conversations.

Jenny lowered her hand in the pants pocket and pulled out the phone, enhanced Abby "especially for parents". Its screen remained dark. The phone was silent for a week. Returning the cell back, Jen sipped invigorating drink. She understood that Jethro must have compelling reasons for silence. But this does not make it easier. Every day anxiety just increased.

Drinking coffee and looking into the distance, Jenny remembered how before leaving Gibbs put her palm back to where his heart was pounding, and whispered: "You're here, and it's closer than near."

Gibbs run upstairs to the attic. He saw Captain Wayne, who was his partner in this endeavour, lying on the floor. A man was seriously injured. Blood was streaming through the fingers of weakened hands, with which the captain tried to clamp the wound. Time was running faster than blood. Reinforcements will soon arrive to the guards, exchanged fire with which they joined. Damn these Feds with their love to change parts of the plan. There was no time.

He had to choose. And they both understood this.

"Do it, Gibbs." Wayne whispered.

Blue eyes flashed with the pain of regret. He went to the sniper rifle at the window, took the position, and took aim, without even thinking, as usual formed arms. Gibbs caught spotted Federal motorcade. Saw one of the agents approached the main machine and looks around, opened the door for the passenger.

Tobias Fornell, which Gibbs was associated years of friendship, many common affairs and, of course, the ex-wife, was now an ideal target.

"Do ... it ... Gibbs." whispered injured captain.

Gibbs sighed and pulled the trigger.

Agents heard a shout, started the fuss.

" Guys, we have a sniper, let him burn as my steak on flag day!" Fornell shouted, snatching weapons and pushing his protected person back in the car. Then he got into the car and slammed the door, not noticing that his equally experienced coat proved to be pinned. FBI agent saw paled face and red spot widening on the object's sleeve. Fornell ordered the driver to go fast, and the vehicle rushed from place.

Gibbs hadn't seen all that. With refined movements he collected rifle and checking captain's weak pulse, put him on his shoulders, headed for the emergency exit of the building.

Bright sunshine was flooding the park. Breeze played in the leaves of trees. Place was fool of sounds and people.

Watching this from the bench under the thick poplar Ziva thought: "It's amazing ..."

" It's amazing how much do you notice around when you stop searching and just look" , Tony voiced her thoughts. Somehow they often managed to check out each other's phrases. Although each of them is cribbing for years working together, rather than on what was the real reason. " Hi, Ziva."

"Yes, life does not stand still, Tony. Hello. Hove is the first day of unemployed person? Entire collection has been revised?"

"Almost, stopped on page 57," faced with Ziva's ironic gaze, he stutter. "And which exact collection you are talking about?"

" Movies, DiNozzo. I asked about movies. You are incorrigible."

"What can I do, it's all the genes." Tony smiled at her.

Ziva returned the smile. Their eyes met in silent dialogue, like hundreds of times before.

"Just like before." Ziva thought. Everything changed last week. Their relationship witch began to escalate from partnership and friendship into something more had been ruined because of her mistake once and for all. And though Tony said that there is no awkwardness between them, former lightness has gone. Damn this parasite Parsons! Damn her.

Ziva looked toward the entrance of the park. "Your twenty is mine." she told Tony, pointing to a couple.

"What?! That was me, who told that they'll come together."

Ziva was about to answer, but then a hurricane named Abby swooped on them.

"Abby, easier.", Tony and Ziva whispered at the same time.

"Oh, sorry!" the girl said, freeing friends from her grip and settling down between them. "But I wanted to see you soooo much!

"It's been only a day."

"But it was a long day. Long and bad. There was neither Gibbs nor you. Ducky at least has Jimmy. And I'm all alone."

"And without "Kaf-pow", obviously." Tim tried to joke with her.

"It's not funny! And anyway, Timmy, you behaved quite differently 3 minutes ago when we met at the gate." Abby said indignantly.

"At the gate." Ziva sang.

"Taught to my own harm ." Tony muttered, pulling out a wallet.

"Hey, what was the bet ?" suspiciously asked Tim.

" Whether you'll be in the time." Tony lied, winking at Ziva.

"Just like before." − again flashed through her thoughts. She sighed, and Abby, taking this as a sign of longing for the bygone work, returned to her theme:

"It is not the same without you . Even my trusty major Spectrometer refuses to work. And it was only one day. And how many more there will be?"

"We don't know, Abby." Tony replied. "Until Gibbs finally take care of this young Dracula."

"By the way, anything about Gibbs? Know where he is?" Tim asked.

"The last time I saw him in the office, he said he had an important job, and that we need to destroy the secrets before they destroy us." Ziva replied.

" Ummm, friends, about the secrets... There is one which Parsons never has to know."

"You mean J..." Tim started, but was stopped by Tony's slap and menacing glances of the girls.

"Well, if only our McChatterbox won't tell anyone, Parsons'll know nothing. We've managed to keep this secret more than six months, right?"

"It's not about me, Tony. You can always find something that people hides, if you know where to look."

"No, if this people is Gibbs." replied Tony.

"Oh, my God!"

"What is it, Abby?!"

"Look... Gibbs's house was turned upside down! What if they found the phone? Oh my God..."

Tony turned to Abby and took her hands, trying to calm the girl:

"Abby, it's Gibbs. Our Gibbs. I don't think that he kept such an important thing in his always open house."

"You're right." the girl said, calming down. "And even if he did, they would never have found it. As for many years we have not found a way, how he pulls his boats from the basement. But still, I'd have strangled that Parsons with my bare hands. I'm bad, right?

"Then all we are bad. Everything will be fine, Abbs. We just all need to be a little more careful." Tony said, throwing a meaningful glance at McGee.

"Well, it's time for me to leave." Abby said sadly looking at her watch. "I was so glad to see you guys."

"I'll give you a drive," Tim suggested.

"Great," Abby flashed a smile and as always hugging friends good-bye, headed for the exit from the park in the company of McGee.

Tony turned to suspiciously silent Ziva.

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"I know you, Zi. Know that expression. And the last time I saw it, a man named Bodnar lost his life."

"Very nice of you to remind me, Tony!"

"Ziva..."

"Okay. I need to talk to her. To tell what's going on."

"Damn it, Ziva. Have you heard my words about caution?"

"I have, Tony, and I agree. But do you really think Gibbs would have a chance to contact her under the circumstances? And Parsons came when, a week ago? Can you imagine how she feels now?"

Shadow of memories flashed in the depths of DiNozzo's eyes. He cleared his throat and said:

"Yes, you're right. There's nothing worse than when the person you love suddenly disappears and you don't know where she is and what's going on."

Ziva was silent. She tried not to look at Tony, not to see the pain of the past in his eyes.

"But how are you going to find her?" DiNozzo asked.

"I have one assumption." Ziva smiled, remembering how during one rather boring joint operations in Egypt Jenny blabbed about her affair with a partner. Of course, he wasn't named, but it was enough for Ziva to see her and Gibbs together to know who is who.

"I could go with you."

"No. You have to stay. Gibbs may need your help."

"Okay. Then let me at least escort you home, Miss David!" Tony said with a proprietary smile, getting up from the bench and holding Ziva's hand.

"With pleasure, recently special agent DiNozzo."

"Very special." Tony corrected indignantly.

Smiling, they headed to the gate. "Just like before." Tony thought. "Almost..." Ziva added mentally.


End file.
